UBC Okanagan’s Anne Fleming has just completed a pretty a tough job.
The school’s creative writing program coordinator, Fleming has been working on the committee to short list the winners of the annual short story contest.
The 18th annual Okanagan Short Story Contest attracted 85 story submissions by writers from throughout B.C.’s Southern Interior.
“The quality of this year’s entries was excellent,” says Fleming. “We had a really tough time winnowing down to this shortlist.”
Fleming is able to pass the torch as UBCO’s writer-in-residence Tamas Dobozy is the contest judge and he will determine the winner. The top three writers will be announced at a reading with Dobozy at the Royal Anne Hotel in Kelowna Wednesday, March 16 at 7 p.m.
Fleming says she is thrilled with the high-calibre and significant number of entries for the annual writing contest and can’t wait to hear who the winner will be.
First place winner will receive $500, while the second and third place winners receive $200 and $100 respectively. The overall winner also has the opportunity to spend a one-week retreat at the Woodhaven Eco Culture Centre.
Contest sponsors are UBC Okanagan, The Kelowna Capital News, and the Central Okanagan Foundation.
Shortlisted writers are:
• The Weight of Things by Bronwyn Berg, Kelowna
• The Law of Buoyancy by Brittni MacKenzie Dale, Kelowna
• Patty Cake by Cliff Hatcher, Kamloops
• That’s What They Call It, Anyways by Brittni MacKenzie Dale, Kelowna
• Badlands by Dania Tomlinson, Kelowna
• The Makeshift House of God by Kenya Thompson, Kelowna
• Raspberry Pulp by Sharon Mercer, Vernon
• Between by Ryan Ennis, Kelowna